Birth Control Pills - What effects them?

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Birth Control Pills - What effects them?

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Contributor: VioletMoonstone VioletMoonstone
I've tried my best to learn anything and everything I can about what can make birth control pills less effective so that I can avoid those things at all cost!

Here are the ones that I've heard:
Antibiotics (I always use backup when I'm taking any kind of antibiotic), St. John's Wort (mood enhancer herbal supplement my boyfriend takes sometimes.) I've also heard about grapefruit?! Like grapefruit juice? Not sure if this is true or not. It sounds unlikely but I've come across it numerous times. Also I'm curios about how drinking alcohol can effect the absorption of the pill.

If you know anything else please share. Thanks. =]
04/04/2012
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Contributor: Ansley Ansley
This is a very good question!!

I think the grapefruit concern is a blanket statement. Grapefruit enzymes affect a variety of medications from birth control pills to kidney medications to heart medications. So, even if it doesn't do anything, *I* would still avoid drinking juice or eating grapefruits. 'Cause, well you know, NO BABIES.

As far as alcohol and the pill, I think you're safe as long as you don't have an upset stomach and go to the bathroom within 30 minutes of taking it.

I'm not a nurse or anything, but I have taken my pill with a swig of beer on numerous occasions and didn't get pregnant. It was when I forgot to take my pills that I got into trouble.
04/04/2012
Contributor: unfulfilled unfulfilled
They probably mean grapefruit seed extract which is a natural antibiotic. (I'm not a nurse, but I worked in the alternative medicine industry for 5 years and we sold grapefruit seed extract for its antibacterial/antifung al properties.)
04/04/2012
Contributor: underHim underHim
Alcohol can affect it so if you are going to be drinking on a regular basis I would recommend taking your pill in the morning or lunch time if you are going to drink. You are correct on St John Wart. Here are a few herbs that affect birth control
link
I actually used to drink Sobe alot before I got on their pill but so many of their drink affect birth control that I gave up on drinking them while on the pill. I am off it now. Maybe I will get some Sobe. Yum
04/04/2012
Contributor: VioletMoonstone VioletMoonstone
I actually don't really drink so I don't really worry about that. I guess I just like to know and learn as much as I can, you know? The grape fruit thing is weird. I don't eat them often but I remember last year I was craving them and had one daily for a few days in a row. Nothing happened to me which is a good thing!

I'm actually on the mini-pill or whatever you want to call it. Regular birth control pills were making me gain a lot of weight and made my blood pressure sky high. It's been kind of scary. I've been on these pills for quite a few months now and everything seems fine so far. I was freaked out at first because they are less effective but it's by such a tiny amount. Everything has been fine so far. The only thing that sucks about them is that your period isn't on such a perfect schedule and it's more random and you bleed more. =[ But hey, that's better than having a heart attack.
04/05/2012
Contributor: RomanticGoth RomanticGoth
Have you read about IUDs? I've got one and I love not having to worry about pills, periods, or forgetting a condom.
04/05/2012